UGANDA UPDATE: RIOTS CONTINUE FOR SECOND DAY IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 001046

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2019
TAGS: PINS PGOV ASEC PHUM PINR UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA UPDATE: RIOTS CONTINUE FOR SECOND DAY IN
KAMPALA

REF: KAMPALA 01044

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Aaron Sampson for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Violent demonstrations in Kampala resumed on
September 11 with reports of sporadic gunfire, burning tires,
and looting. The Buganda Kingdom's Attorney General told the
Mission that the King may indeed postpone tomorrow's visit to
Kayunga to avoid further loss of life and property. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) Most of the rioting today occurred in downtown
Kampala and the western side of city with some disturbances
on the roads leading north, west, and south of the city. The
Mission received credible reports of three fatalities in
addition to yesterday's count of 3 to 10 people killed. A
well-connected Buganda official told the Mission that one of
those killed this morning included a woman shot by police at
the gates to the Buganda Kingdom's headquarters on Mengo
hill.


3. (SBU) The Government of Uganda (GOU) remains steadfast
in its refusal to allow the King of Buganda to tour Kayunga
district north of Kampala (see reftel for background).
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura
issued a statement on September 11 which attributed the
rioting of the day before to "hooliganism." Kayihura also
attributed the violence to "inflammatory and sectarian
broadcasts" from the Buganda Kingdom-owned CBC radio station,
which he said was systematically inciting "listeners to cause
chaos and destruction where ever they could." The statement
ended with a proclamation that the police would not allow the
Buganda King to visit Kayunga on September 12 due to security
concerns. A separate statement from Minister of Information
and National Guidance, Kabakumba Masiko, warned the Buganda
not to challenge the political authority of the GOU through
"extra-constitutional" means and said the GOU would not
tolerate lawlessness or hooliganism. Masiko then appealed
for calm as "consultations are close to being concluded."


4. (C) An ethnic Baganda Member of Parliament, Theodore
Sekikubo, said he and other ruling party members of the
Buganda Parliamentary Caucus met with President Museveni on
September 10 to request he allow the King to visit Kayunga.
Sekikubo said Museveni rejected this advice, and instead
criticized the Baganda as ungrateful for Museveni's support.
Museveni blamed external funding and opposition parties for
the riots and was adamant that the King would not be allowed
to visit Kayunga. Sekikubo's description of Museveni's
position during the closed meeting with ethnic Baganda MPs
mirrored Museveni's public statement broadcast later that
evening. In his public address, Museveni said the National
Resistance Movement (NRM) "had fought many battles and we
shall win this one also." Sekikubo said it would be better
for the King not to travel in order to avoid a potentially
volatile showdown with security forces.


5. (C) The Buganda Kingdom's Attorney General, Apollo
Makubuya, told the Mission on September 11 that the King may
indeed delay the visit to avoid further loss of life and
property. A relative of the Buganda Queen told the Mission
that First Lady Janet Museveni and the Queen were preparing
to meet, perhaps as early as this afternoon, to resolve the
impasse separating their husbands. However, if the King
decides to move ahead with his visit to Kayunga tomorrow,
more confrontation is likely.
LANIER